Op2,

I'm with you on marijuana, having spent a lot of time in communities where smoking it was the norm.
I never saw any violence induced by it, but we non-users often had to do the driving and were always watchful where the axes, chainsaws and whipper-snippers were concerned.

Hashbrowns on the menu were OK it was the green cookies that had to be avoided, I almost ate one but was stopped before taking a bite; it was my general experience that users, when aware of a non-user, would always do the right thing and give a warning also they'd nearly always light up on one's lee side so that one didn't get the secondhand smoke, which could be quite powerful.

Issy, if you want to share a joint with Op2 and he/she is willing I'm not against it, as you said "I'm with you on marijuana" that's cool. I can see you were into the 1960's counter culture, alternate lifestyle, spent a bit of time out Nimbin way did you, "having spent a lot of time in communities where smoking it was the norm". ha ha.

I have known a lot of 'pot heads' myself, and I totally agree they are "peacefully drunk" much more tolerable than most 'piss heads'. BTW I haven't smoked weed in years myself, and I was never more than a social smoker. I don't defend it as harmless, its not. Although having some recent experience with medical cannabis, I can see the positive use there.

What I see both in my family and in the broader community is that the social use of marijuana, particularly by the young, is to them totally acceptable, as acceptable as alcohol is to us. Its impossible to enforce prohibition (as the Yanks once famously found out) when people do not see themselves as law breakers. With prohibition comes the criminal involvement, organized crime. Plus society pours in millions trying to combat a ever growing problem without success, when those resources could be better spent elsewhere.

In my experience, I never came across a case of a dysfunctional family with family violence, with one of the causes being the over use of marijuana, though plenty involving alcohol abuse.

Highly amusing how people who often chunter on about the 'science being in' on things like the global warming/expensive electricity scam who totally ignore the science that proves just how damaging weed is the the human brain, especially to the brains under 25 years of age. I have a 28 year old granddaughter who ruined her life with the stuff. She is schizophrenic, and will be on medication, and the dole, for the rest of her life. Her second daughter, 8 years old, is a very disturbed little girl because of her mother's addiction and the fact that her blow-in, feral father was also a schizo thanks to the weed.

So up yours, di Natale, and up yours OLO plonkers who think marijuana is good for bit of harmless relaxation. You are dispicable people or, at the very least, ignoramuses who need to get out more.

ttbn, no argument from me I just posted " I don't defend it (marijuana) as harmless, its not."

You either have not read what Di Natale said, or you misunderstand, or for your own political motives you misrepresent it. All your "up yours" bunk is nonsense. If the girl had been addicted to legal alcohol she would be no better off. But one bad bad, does not make another bad good.
Read the statement before you throw stones.

Hi everyone,
Regarding cannabis I think it would be mindful to start with the 'Harm Principle', that says people should be free to live as they choose so long as it does not harm others, as well as all the 'Pro's and Con's'.

My main argument in support of cannabis use is this:
That people struggling through relationship / emotional issues be given the CHOICE to use cannabis rather than alcohol. The only legal option is alcohol (or prescription anti-depressants) and that in my opinion isn't doing the greater community any favors.

But cannabis can and does induce schizophrenia in some people, but as far as I know there's no way identify who those people at risk are exactly. If we are to contemplate legalising it, research must be done to get to the bottom of it, it'd be negligent not to do so, as some people would become more 'at risk' if legalisation went ahead.

In the bigger picture, I believe there's two main issues which will cross paths at some point in the future, one is the push for a cashless society, and the other is the sale and use of illegal drugs.
I think at some point a lot of drugs might end up becoming legalised, regulated (and quality control) and sold by government.

Regarding the Greens supporting this issue, well we probably should've seen it coming. I'm fairly sure this is one of GetUp! and Soros agenda's and that Soros may have some interests in the cannabis business.

Amen to that, Paul.
I've never smoked marijuana as I didn't come into contact with it until after I'd given up smoking, for the umpteenth but finally successful time; had I still been smoking I'd probably have given it a go.
I have been around Nimbin etc. but spent my initial time with the alternatives at Middle Head Beach over the course of the Sand Mining Protest in 1980

See 1980 in this timeline: http://www.teachingheritage.nsw.edu.au/section03/timeenviron.php

That's not me on the Cross but I helped to put him up there.